Love on the Wireless

July 17, 2012

Sweet, romantic pop is the theme of the second set of early 1950s Stebbing 78s that have been re-mastered and re-issued as downloads. Called Love on the Wireless (Archive Series 1945-1956 Vol 2), it features artists such Mavis Rivers, Bob Taggart, Lyn Christie and Edwin Duff. The production signature of Julian Lee is present throughout (he is pictured left, at his ham radio), and a standout is his collaboration with Rivers on ‘Noodlin’ Rag’, which combines her spirited vocal paced by his energetic piano. Shirley Tilton’s ‘Till I Waltz Again With You’ is another Lee production, and exemplifies the over-articulated delivery then expected from vocalists. The Big City Six’s ‘Harbour Lights’ features the high tenor voice of a male Polynesian: the tempo is slow and the treatment very old school, but it’s an early example of the Pacific pop genre dominated by Daphne Walker and Bill Wolfgramm on Tanza. The number that swings the most is Phyl Mounce’s ‘Somebody’, but an accomplished novelty worth hearing is ‘Wild Horses’ – not the Sticky Fingers classic, but early country pop performed by Ian Morton with an over the top voice. Love on the Wireless (Archive Series 1945-1956 Vol 2), can be sampled and purchased at the Amplifer website, in its entirety or as individual MP3 downloads.